Remember The Name
by TheAdamBomb505
Summary: He was dealt a crappy hand in life. Orphaned, passed around foster care, and given no chance at a normal life. She wanted to show him how much he truly mattered. Together, they'd give reasons to remember his name.
1. A Fun Start

**All I own is my original character. Everything else is WWE's playground. However, I can confirm that this is just _one _wrestling story that'll be uploaded. I've got a few others planned.**

I let out a soft sigh as I entered the building. Vince and Paul Levesque had asked for me to show up at eleven thirty in the morning. They hadn't said why, but there were a few educated guesses. Like me skipping NXT to join SmackDown here in Milwaukee. Or that they were rescinding the offer. Both were absolutely terrifying in all honesty.

"Ah, there's our newest star!" Vince's gruff voice boomed. He was flanked by Bruce Pritchard and a stunning woman who's eyes shined as bright as diamonds. The blonde hair descended past her shoulders, allowing the pink dyed tips to be in front and back.

She was the one who actually pushed for me to get this opportunity. We met while she filmed something for YouTube and clicked almost immediately. Even though I didn't have a match in NXT proper, she stuck her neck out for me. Truth be told, it's the nicest thing anyone's done for me in almost ten years.

"Yes sir. Matthew Drake, at your service" I replied, trying to calm my nerves. The woman flashed a soft smile at me which helped slightly.

"Mister Drake, we've been reviewing some of your work. You've made quite the impression on a lot of people, including the other star here. Miss Alexis Kaufman." Bruce stated, almost disinterested in the meeting. Alexis slightly blushed which caused Vince to smirk.

"Now," Vince started, "I really haven't seen a whole lot from you. You're a good wrestler, but your character is what'll bring in money. So I'd like you to describe your character to me in the next thirty seconds."

A chuckle escaped my lips, earning raised eyebrows from the two executives. Alexis just smiled. "My character is just me. I don't back down from a fight, will go through literal hell to protect loved ones, and is generally a good barometer for if you're a jackass or not."

"Explain how that'd bring in money for the company."

"Simple; you've got someone who Brock likes working with in me, and should we face each other, he'd look absolutely dominant while I'd look like the plucky underdog who doesn't give up. You got a monster that needs to be built up? Pair me with them and they'll be made in a day. You want serious money? My promos come from my heart. That'd be enough to sell any match in short time."

Vince let out a boisterous laugh. "That confirms what I've mainly heard. Someone who's passionate about being himself. So tonight you'll have a fun segment. As will Miss Kaufman." The two of us looked at him with surprise. "A Moment of Bliss introducing him to the crowd, and a match with Heath to get him over. Does that work for you?"

"Yes sir. I'm ready to get started." Vince couldn't help but smile.

"Good. Cause we're having you guys on after the first match." We both nodded and walked to the locker rooms. Alexis was showing me where the key areas were backstage in case of emergency. The megawatt smile never leaving her face.

Getting changed into my gear, a slight grin came on my face. Grabbing a Twisted Bliss Coffee shirt, I added it to my gear for the day. Which consisted of a pair of silver tights that were tucked into black wrestling shoes. Cherry red gloves to protect my hands and, if necessary, capable of being loaded with a piece of metal. White elbow and knee pads decked out with a light blue star finished it off. Some of the others introduced themselves while others kept to themselves. Heath, my opponent for the night, was the only one who really bothered with talking to me in depth.

He wasn't too concerned about losing, as he wanted to make sure I was put over correctly. As we went over the match, he seemed to be slightly bothered by something. Alexis, who had appeared towards the end of the discussion, sighed.

"Heath, you want to tell him?" She asked. Her angelic voice was low enough to avoid drawing the attention of anyone else. He just gave a curt nod before turning to face me.

"Your finisher needs to be changed." I nodded my head. Didn't expect to keep the Fisherman buster, and a thrust spinebuster isn't that unique. A soft smile came to my face. Heath and Alexis just looked at one another in confusion.

"I could use a belly to back side slam. Or even a pump handle flowsion." I replied. The pair just shrugged before taking me out to the ring. As I hit both on Heath, he seemed to be elated.

"Use both. We can work a ref bump into our match so you'd be able to explain why both could end your matches." Alexis just looked ecstatic.

"Alrighty! Now that that's been handled, let's talk about the questions you'll be asked by me." Her smile shined like diamonds held under the moonlight. And the way her eyes seemed to glimmer in excitement caused my heart to skip a beat.

"I-I mean, ask anything you want" I stuttered, looking away. My peripheral vision caught her concerned look, which sent my heart tumbling down to my stomach. Heath just grinned before hopping on to the top turnbuckle.

"Are you okay?" Her voice was soft, concern lacing it. It wasn't unusual for new debuts to have butterflies in their stomachs. Heath was expecting me to find the nearest trash can and puke my guts out.

"I'm fine." I started, swallowing my nervousness down. "Just ask your questions. You've got a better understanding of what to ask than I." She just shrugged before grinning.

"Well, how about we start with where you are from?"

A soft smile came to my face as I answered "Albuquerque, New Mexico."

"How long have you been wrestling?"

"Fifteen years." Her eyes went wide at that nugget of information. Heath just raised an eyebrow, but seemed to realize that it was due to something big.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-six. I got an early start on training due to some personal problems." A frown replaced my smile, as my face fell with memories of my past flooding back. Alexis just bit her lip, making her look even cuter.

"How are you going to start the interview off?" A small smirk grew on my face, catching both witnesses off guard.

"It's an honor to be interrogated by such a gorgeous lady." A wink accompanied my comment, causing Heath to stifle a laugh. In contrast, Alexis just blushed as she struggled to reply. Clearing his throat, Heath motioned for us to leave the ring. Once we got backstage, Alexis gave me a shy look.

"Did you mean what you said? About being interviewed by a gorgeous woman?"

"Of course I did. Why?"

"No reason?" She started to walk away before pausing and looking back at me. "By the way, what's your ring name?"

"Matt Knight. Why?" She just walked away after the answer. Shaking my head, I walked back towards the locker-rooms. As the time ticked closer to the start of the show, I left the locker-room and stood near the gorilla position. Amanda Saccomanno walked by, looking me up and down.

"You the new guy?" She asked, trailing a finger up and down my torso. Nodding the affirmative, she gave a soft chuckle. "Well, how about we get together after the show? I'll introduce you to the others." Alexis walked by, checking out the scene before clearing her throat. Amanda rolled her eyes dramatically before storming off.

Alexis remained, wearing her ring gear. Her gear hugged her curves, but I found myself ensnared in her eyes. They may have had anger in them, but there was something comforting about them. It was like looking at the stars while sitting on a hill in the countryside.

"Ugh! I can't stand her flirting! She already has a boyfriend!" Alexis ranted, with our eyes remaining locked.

"Have I mentioned that I love your eyes?" I subconsciously asked out loud, causing her cheeks to burn red. Mine probably mirrored a tomato farm as I struggled to come up with a cover. One of the workers chuckled before informing us our segment was coming up. We quickly got into character for it.

* * *

"Welcome to a Moment of Bliss. This week, I've got Smackdown's newest signee on the show, so give it up for Matt Knight!" She introduced me as I walked out. The crowd gave a small response, which didn't bother me. Taking a seat, she gave me a calming smile.

"It's a pleasure to be interviewed by such a gorgeous lady such as yourself" I started. She just smiled through it, but there was a faint blush. It felt great to have that affect on someone again. Just hopefully it's not an act this time.

"The pleasure is all mine. Now, I noticed you had a slight southwestern accent. Are you from there?"

"Grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That's why I've got the accent." She just nodded before continuing.

"Growing up in Albuquerque, was there a moment where you just got hooked on wrestling or was it something that just happened?"

"The family I lived with allowed us to watch wrestling. That way I wouldn't bother them with questions." Her eyes went wide, clearly not expecting that. The crowd was surprised as well.

"Wow. How old were you when you decided you wanted to be a wrestler?"

"Eleven. A local wrestler noticed me and decided to train me. Without him, I wouldn't have been able to survive this long." A soft smile came across my face as hers dropped.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-six." Before she could ask another question, Heath Slater emerged from the back wearing a scowl.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Alexa, you should be interviewing me! An actual superstar on the roster. Not some wannabe who couldn't lace my boots!" He sneered, staring right at me. Alexa rolled her eyes at the statement.

"When was the last time you were even _on _TV?" She asked, getting a good pop for the question. Heath took it in stride, smiling.

"When you're as good as I am, you don't need to be on every show."

"So, if I were to beat you in the middle of the ring, I'd be able to skip two years of shows?" I asked, earning a glare from Heath and a slight giggle from Alexa. The giggle caught us off guard, but she played it off as a slight cough.

"If you _think _you could beat me, then you've got another thing coming. But I'll humor you. Get a ref down here, and I'll wipe that stupid grin off your face."

He stomped to the ring, enjoying the slight jeers the crowd was giving him. As I followed him to the ring, I removed the Twisted Bliss Coffee shirt, showing off my athletic build. A fleshed out two hundred and fifteen pounds of muscle, causing the women to go wild.

He attacked me as I stepped through the ropes, sending me to the bottom turnbuckle. The ref rushed down to try and pull him off while he stomped away at my torso. Once he was off, I pulled myself up with the ropes, wincing in pain as I did.

"Are you able to go?" The ref asked, which I gave him an affirmative nod. He signaled for the Bell to start the match. Heath charged at me with a predatory grin, only for it to disappear as I moved out of the way. As he bounced out of the corner, I hit him with an inverted DDT.

Returning the favor from earlier, I began stomping down on his torso once I was on my feet. He rolled onto his side to protect himself. It didn't work as I lifted him off the ground for a regular DDT. Following up, I rolled him over and mounted him before raining down some forearms and punches.

The ref had to pull me off of Heath, giving him a small respite. It went away as he staggered to his feet however, as I smashed him in the face with my elbow. Quickly pushing him down, I went for the cover.

"1….2….3 RING THE BELL!" The ref shouted, catching me off guard. Heath rolled out of the ring, seemingly hurt. As my hand was raised, the crowd gave a small cheer for the victory.

* * *

Once backstage, Vince and Bruce called me over. "What do you call that elbow strike you used?" Bruce asked.

"It went by _Painkiller_ and _Shot of Adrenaline_ on the Indies. Why?"

"That could easily work as a finisher! You'd be able to use other stuff, but the elbow can be used when necessary." I nodded, only to get patted on the back by Heath. An ice pack held to his jaw.

"Sorry for messing up your debut" he started, eyes locked on mine. "Had a momentary lapse towards the end." The three of us nodded before Bruce asked me to follow him. I did, only for us to stop by an empty room.

"This Sunday, we're going to have you help Joe during his match with Thomas. Nic has agreed to work with you, so you'll have a feud through the Rumble. At the Elimination Chamber event, you're going to punch your ticket to Mania to take part in a six way Intercontinental Championship ladder match." He finally took a breath and allowed me to take the information in.

"Understood sir. Is that it?"

"No. We understand that you're a big baseball fan, so are you willing to have a baseball jersey piece of merchandise?"

"I'd be honored sir."

"Okay. We'll get to work on it. Do you have a song you'd like to use as your entrance?"

"_Adrenaline _by Shinedown."

"Okay. We'll talk to them about getting the rights to use it." Bruce smiled and left, leaving me in the hallway. Going to the locker-rooms, Joe Anoa'I stopped me and introduced himself. He was a chill guy, and wanted to make sure everything was all good with me.

Once I arrived at the locker-rooms, I decided to look at a monitor to see what was going on. It was Alexis and Nikki taking on Amanda and Daria. It was a good match, and Alexis used the elbow strike I did earlier. Once the tag was made to Nikki and Daria, they went into the last portion, and I walked back to the gorilla position.

"You checking out Lexi?" Claudio asked from behind, wearing a soft grin on his face.

"She's way out of my league bro." I replied, giving a sad smile in return. He raised an eyebrow as I explained what happened with my ex. Claudio silently said a curse before patting my back. He and I worked together in the past, but it wasn't for a long period. But he had taken me under his wing during that time. So it was nice seeing him again.

"Trust me, Lexi won't do that to you. She couldn't hurt a fly if we're being honest." He chuckled before heading to meet up with Nakamura. Amanda and Daria made their way backstage, only pausing so Amanda could flirt some more. They left quickly, with Daria mumbling something under her breath.

"Matt? What brings you here?" Alexis questioned, quirking an eyebrow up. Nikki just rolled her eyes at the question.

"Just in the neighborhood. Figured I'd stop by and talk." I quipped, earning a chuckle from Nikki. She just shrugged before heading to the women's locker-room. Alexis swallowed nervously before motioning for me to walk with her.

"What's on your mind?"

"Well, I'm getting my first true feud on Sunday."

She smiled at me, radiating happiness with it. My heart skipped yet another beat before resuming normal operations. "That's great! Who's it against?"

"Nic Nemeth. I'm going to aid Joe on Sunday, but I'm not sure of if it'll change the outcome." She wrapped her arms around me, catching me by surprise. Her cheeks slowly warming up as our eyes met once again.

"That's great news! Nic is a true professional and will watch out for you in the ring." She released me and took back to standing on my right side.

"That's good to hear. By the way, I didn't expect to inspire someone to use a move so soon." Her eyes went wide, before stammering out a response. He chuckled before leaning down and whispering, "you made it look a million times better."

She was still blushing, but a sly grin formed on her face. "Thank you. You were good in your match earlier. Couldn't keep my eyes off of it." She giggled as I blushed, causing me to offer a soft smile in return. We went back to the locker-rooms to get changed before heading back to the hotel.

She was on the floor above mine, which allowed us to talk a little more. Her smile always illuminating her eyes more than they already were. It was an excellent view, though, and made her seem like an angel. As I stepped off the elevator, she wished me a good night.

Entering my room, a sigh escaped my lips. She was perfect. No other way to describe her. Which meant that I had no shot with her. All I am is a broken mess who has no family. No hope at getting somebody who would miss me at the holidays. And someone like Alexis? That would happen in my dreams if I was lucky. Other than that, no. It'd be nothing more than a fantasy.

A fact that the caretakers at the orphanage took pleasure in. The trainer was the only one who was even close to being a father figure to me. But he didn't give a damn about me. Just trained me to be barely passable.

Claudio, however, was able to mold me into a better wrestler. Hell, he even got Mike to train me free of charge! But he was signed to WWE almost immediately afterwards and we weren't able to talk a whole lot. So it was hard to view him as anything more than a big brother.

My eyes closed for the night, with my brain battling my heart over what to do about the angel known as Alexis Kaufman.


	2. TLC

**All I own is my original character. Everything else is WWE's playground. This and the next two chapters will not feature a lot of wrestling, but chapter five is going to feature what I hope is an exceptional match.**

* * *

A groan escaped my lips, mixing in with the panting and concern. Another fucking nightmare from my childhood. Shaking my head, I glanced at the alarm clock that read three fifty-seven in the morning. Trudging to the bathroom for a quick shower, a thought came to mind. It's early enough for the gyms to be practically empty. Which meant no distractions while I worked out my problems.

The hotel we were booked in was pretty damn good. They had enough equipment to keep us busy for hours, if not an entire night if needed. Plus the fact that a twenty-four seven boxing gym was right across the street. Setting up on a treadmill, I started off slow until I felt a pair of eyes on me. Turning to face the door, I was surprised at the appearance of the newest occupant. Which caused me to trip and fall, making her laugh.

"You okay?" her voice drawing me out of my reverie. Lexi's eyes were red with unshed tears, but still holding that concern within. We had been seat neighbors on the flight into Minneapolis, which caused us to get to know each other better. Admittedly, it was a lot of fun.

"I'm fine. What about you?" I replied, accepting the helping hand. She chewed on her lip, eyes darting around to make sure nobody was around. Once she was certain no one else was close, she melted into my arms. It was the first time she did it voluntarily, which made me feel elated.

"I feel protected in your arms" she admitted. My cheeks slowly warmed up at her words, as my heart hammered away like it was trying to forge some type of armor or weapon. As our eyes met, it was clear that she was relaxed.

"I'm glad you feel safe in my arms." The reply startled her, while I stammered to explain it. But she just shyly smiled and buried her head into my chest again. We stayed that way for a minute or so before she pulled away and climbed on the treadmill next to mine.

We started, or in my case, restarted, our cardio. While I kept mine around the higher end, Lexi kept hers in the middle. It was weird, as whenever I saw her in the PC, she was able to be at the top without much trouble for a while. But I didn't want to distract her and potentially have her get tripped up.

"Lexi, are you okay? Normally you can go at full speed without a problem" She slowed down and looked at me. Her eyes battling themselves over whether gratitude, anger, or something else should be shown.

"I'm good. Nikki and I don't have a match, so why go all out?" She replied. It was a great point, but I couldn't help but feel a little bad. She had revealed yesterday that she thought she'd be in a match tonight, only to find out that they didn't have anything planned for her or Nikki.

"Sorry" I apologized, catching her by surprise. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

"You didn't." Her genuine smile reached her eyes. "You were making sure that I was okay. And I love that you did." We went back to working out, making some small talk every now and again. Finishing up the cardio portion, I switched over to lifting weights. It was about four thirty in the morning, which meant others would be waking up soon.

As I pushed out reps, I noticed Lexi sitting down and watching me. It pushed me to do more than I usually do, stopping only once I felt sweat drip into my eye. Her soft smile sending butterflies to my stomach. She followed me to the boxing gym, asking if I'd help her with a few things in the ring over the next week or so. Hard to deny someone who could metaphorically kill you with puppy dog eyes.  
As I started warming up with punches, Claudio entered the gym with Joe, Adeel, and Charles. Lexi greeted them with hugs while also watching me. Claudio just smiled at the sight, deducing what we both were doing. Joe picked it up after a mistimed jab.

"Matt! You good with helping me with a few things?" Joe asked. Nodding, we went off to a different ring so Claudio could help Lexi.

"You like Lexi." Joe smiled at my gaping mouth. He tied me up in a collar and elbow before continuing. "Don't worry. None of us are concerned about it. Hell, from what Claudio has said about you, I'd be a fool to try and intervene. Just know that we're willing to help you with her. She's pretty tired right now though. Dealing with some serious stuff." He held a hand up to keep me quiet.

"What exactly do you mean 'serious stuff?'" I asked, voice laced with concern.

He let out a soft sigh. "You'll have to ask her. Adeel and Charles couldn't get her to open up, and they've pretty much became like siblings with Lexi." I struggled to picture her without a smile on her face, sending a blast of icy pain through my heart and soul. How much she was in pain due to the actions of an idiot who didn't realize how lucky they were. Joe seemed to have noticed it as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"You seem like a good guy, but she's capable of handling it by herself. But she's going to need a rock there to help support her." I knew what he was saying. By being the rock that supports her, she'll be able to trust me more. Perhaps it'll help her find her Prince Charming.

"Okay." He smiled before letting me continue my work out. Once it was done, Lexi asked me if I wanted to get some breakfast. Anything to spend some time with her was a good idea in my book. She was able to keep mymind occupied with small talk , which prevented me from ending up like I was a few years back.

We ended up driving to the arena together, jamming out to her favorite type of music. Her infectious smile never leaving. It hurt me to know that I'll never be good enough for her. But her happiness was more important as far as I was concerned. She had learned that she'd get to do another Moment of Bliss with Macey in Detroit once we arrived. Thomas, Nic, Daniel, David, and Joe walked up after she got the news.

"Matt, how do you want to do the interference?" Thomas asked. Lexi walked away to talk with the girls. Joe standing to the side, offering a reassuring smile.

"I figured you guys would attack me and use weapons to try and teach me a lesson. Like a Deep Six through a table, Zig Zag and superkick onto chairs. Perhaps a Shatter Machine off a ladder." I threw out, not sure of what would work best. Nic just smiled.

"Why not all of the above?"

"What are you getting at Nic?" Joe asked. Nic just motioned for us to follow him. We did, and he showed us the match card.

"With how late the match will take place, we could have an angle shot to where Daniel and David thought he was laughing at them. The three of us could then put him through a ladder and use the chairs and tables after he tried to get revenge." He explained. We quickly agreed to do that. Thankfully Vince enjoyed it and allowed us to shoot it early. Vince explained that it would be perfect for the preshow, as it would get heat on The Revival.

* * *

As soon as it was finished, we went our separate ways. Joe waited off in the wings, seemingly content with the peace and quiet. Adeel and Charles were off to get back home after shooting their own angle with Daniel and David.

"Have you heard the rumors?" I overheard. Two backstage workers were walking past, not paying attention for any eavesdroppers.

"About Lexi?"

"Yeah."

"I've heard that she's got a new man. But that's about it."

"That's not the rumor. She's been creating an excuse to try and stay with others, and most of the guys have been thinking about using it as an excuse to try and get in her pants!"

"Hah! Surprised she hasn't agreed to it. We all know she got here with her looks over her skills."

"Ain't that the truth. Hopefully she asks me next so I can get a good look at her body." The pair laughed before turning right down a hall. Joe had walked up towards the end of their conversation, concern written on his face. It was due to the anger I had on my face.

"Listen-"

"How can they be so nonchalant about a co-worker who is dealing with serious stuff!? It pisses me off!" He forced me to look him in the eyes.

"You need to calm the fuck down. That rumor is false. I know that cause she has been staying with Adrienne. We don't know the actual reason, and you can't get so worked up by rumors." He was right. I had to be there for her, but it hurt hearing them seemingly brush away any concerns of her well being because she was gorgeous. And they just wanted to get in her pants.

"You're right. I've just gotta let it roll off my shoulders."

"Of course. I also know that you've had the same rumors spread about you." I suppressed a grimace.

"Unlike Lex, I'm not that good looking." He just laughed.

"We could always ask Lexi. Of course, she'd probably like your little nickname for her." His teasing smile grew larger as my cheeks burnt red like lava. "Let's get ready for the show."

* * *

Lexi stayed with Nikki to watch the show. Daniel, David, and I waited for our queue to go out. I'd go first, followed by them a few moments later. It was given, and I ran down to start wailing on Ziggler. Corbin realized something was wrong when he was left alone with Reigns, who had managed to get up to his knees. The Revival emerged, grabbing me and throwing me into the barricade. While they worked me over, Ziggler helped Corbin with Reigns. A ladder laid on the apron and barricade, which The Revival used to make the shatter machine hurt even more.

However, instead of it breaking, it remained intact as I crashed on it. Clutching my ribs in agony, the pair grinned before laying me on top of it. "Scott's gonna hit an elbow drop." Dash whispered in my ear, making sure nobody else could hear him. Scott delivered the elbow to my chest, causing the ladder to break under our combined weight.

Ziggler laughed at my pain before picking me up. The Revival held me up as he hit me in the gut with a folded up chair. After the third hit, I was dropped by Scott and Dash, unable to take a deep breath. Once I struggled up to my knees, the chair was placed in front of my face. Ziggler hit the chair with a superkick, sending it ricocheting into my face and knocking me to the floor. As Corbin's goons entered the ring to aid him, I could barely move.

The Bell rang, signaling the end of the match. Ziggler left the ring to pick me up and sent me into the ring. A table followed me a few seconds later, which Corbin set up. The Revival stomped on my back, which sent waves of pain coursing through my ribs and torso. They tried to lift me up, but I just couldn't get up. So Corbin changed where the table was placed and had the other three lift me. Once they got me up, Corbin got me into position and hit a Deep Six through the table.  
Reigns and the ref had to help me to the back.

* * *

Lexi bolted into the trainer's office, her electric blue eyes full of fear. It hurt me more than the ribs ever could. Her arms gently wrapped around my abdomen, causing my heart rate to speed up. Returning the hug, she looked up at me with those eyes that could look into my soul.

"Are you okay? I'm not hurting you, am I? What happened out there?" She blasted away with the questions. As I went to answer them, she continued with the interrogation. "Why didn't they protect you more? Were they trying to hurt you intentionally? Those bastards probably planned it from the start!"

"Lexi, calm down."

"Perhaps they felt threatened by you? Did they try to make you out to be unsafe?"

"Lexi."

"Or were they upset by your involvement? I mean, you're extremely handsome, but Nic wouldn't sabotage someone without a reason, right?"

"LEX!" She finally stopped and looked at me, cheeks aflame with the embarrassment of her words and questioning. My cheeks mirrored hers, but for a different reason. She had called me handsome. How am I supposed to feel about that?

"Y-yes?" She nervously asked, eyes darting around the room. She had a shy look on her face, making her look completely innocent. It was cute.

"The ladder didn't break at first. It didn't until the elbow drop, so we had to do that in order to make it seem like they cared about hurting me. Everything else was good." She swallowed nervously before nodding. "But I do appreciate your concern. And your words."

"Your welcome. Are you heading back to the hotel after the show?"

"Yeah. Why?"

She fiddled with her fingers before letting out a low sigh. "I would like to stay with you tonight. My hotel room is way too cold and I'm not a fan of it."

"S-sure. I-I don't mind" I squeaked out. She flashed a smile at me which made the pain go away. The trainer came in and ran some quick tests before telling me to take it easy over the next few days. I wouldn't have a match on Smackdown, but I'd be good for the house shows over the weekend. As we left, Lexi went to grab her bags.

"She's amazing." I said, not paying attention to who was nearby.

"Yes she is." Matthew Adams, better known as Buddy Murphy, replied. His tone light and friendly. Everyone knew he and Lexi were together before, and had gotten engaged. But they didn't go through with it. Instead, they decided to remain friends.

"Didn't realize you were there. Sorry" I apologized, only for him to wave it off. He motioned for me to follow.

"You've got nothing to worry about. Lexi and I are friends. Probably closer to brother and sister, which is why I was looking for you." He looked over at my five-eleven frame. Most would say I weighed around one ninety, but they were off by thirty pounds. "She's dealing with a lot of problems. What they are, you'll have to find out when she's ready to tell you. Just be there for her and you won't have to worry about things." He walked away before I could even reply, seemingly content with his words of wisdom. As I grabbed my bag, I couldn't help but wonder about Lexi.

More specifically, how she could view someone as broken as me as handsome. She was an angel, perfect in every sense of the word, and I was nothing. It could just be her trying to be nice, but I don't think she'd say that if she didn't mean it.

"You ready?" Her angelic voice sent my heart fluttering, as those eyes bore deep within my soul. Giving her a soft nod, we left to return to the hotel. In my peripheral vision, I saw the faintest smile on her face, shimmering with happiness and something else that I couldn't figure out.  
Once we were at my room, she entered the bathroom to get changed. I pulled off my shirt, eyes drawn to the faded scars on my arms and torso. Grabbing a plain white tee and a pair of black shorts, I quickly got changed and sat on the chair.

Lexi came out a few minutes later, wearing a royal blue shirt that flowed down to her thighs, stopping halfway and allowing her slender legs enough room to steal my breath away. Her hair wet from the shower, yet holding enough volume to be a vocal point. Her face, warped in a shy smile that made me ready to apologize for every transgression.

"Are you okay?" No, but I couldn't say that. How could I explain it to her? I'm looking at someone who has clearly come from Heaven, and I was nothing special. Just a random guy who'll have to deal with the fact that she deserves the sun and moon, while I could give her neither.

"Yes. You look absolutely gorgeous." A smile grew on my face at her heated cheeks.

"Th-thank you." She laid on the bed, eagerly awaiting for sleep to overtake her. While I set up on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Perhaps I'll be able to find a way to beat the odds and actually be with her. Then again, it will be almost impossible.


	3. Backstage and Week Before Christmas

**All I own is my original character. Everything else is WWE's playground. Sorry for the wait for this chapter. I've been working on chapter six and felt like it needed to be changed slightly. Long story short, there's a chance of me changing my original WrestleMania plans around. Plus a match with Daniel Bryan replacing the planned Elimination Chamber spot talked about here. It'll happen if there's a demand for it after chapter five, which features Cesaro doing what he does best; be amazing in the ring.  
**

* * *

"Matt!" Lexi's soft voice shook me from the nightmare, forcing me to readjust to everything. Including how close those perfect eyes were, as well as the concern etched across her angelic face. Her lips hovering a few inches away from mine making me blush.

"H-Hey. What time is it?" I nervously asked, resisting the urge to hug her and break down. My foster parents, or a good portion of them, made sure to remind me that was a sign of weakness. And any weakness meant they could abuse me. It didn't matter that it was a natural reaction.

"Are you okay?" There it was. The one question I tried avoiding. Her soft voice holding concern unworthy of me. How could I properly explain what's wrong to her?

"I'll be fine. Just need a glass of water." I moved away from her, intending to just go to the bathroom for the water. She, however, threw on a pair of leggings and grabbed a key card for the room.

"I think I'll join you." The unadulterated joy in her statement almost broke me. She either knew what she did to me or wasn't paying attention. Either way, it made me hopeful that she'd consider me worthy enough for her heart.

We reached the vending machine, each getting our own bottles of water. As she handed me mine, our hands grazed one another, sending jolts of electricity through me. She seemed to have the same thing happen to her.

"Sorry about that" I muttered, only for her to let out a low sigh.

"It's not your fault. Besides, I enjoyed it." With that statement, she turned and walked back towards the room. Following her, I allowed my eyes to dart around protectively. Searching for some reason to get in front of her to avoid the temptation of checking her out.

Closing the door behind me, I turned to see Lex looking up at me, her eyes quizzical. "Are you going to actually tell me what's wrong, or am I going to have to guess?"

A sigh was all I could respond with before sitting in the desk chair. "You and I had two different childhoods."

"What does that have to do with anything? Were your parents distant or overbearing?" She quizzed, not intending for the painful reminder.

"You had parents. I didn't." Her eyes widened immediately, regretting the question.

"Oh my. I'm so sorry. I-I didn't know."

"It's alright. You and Claudio are the only two who do know. The only difference is how much you really want to know?" She swallowed nervously before asking me to continue. "Most of the kids in the orphanage ended up dead or in jail. The few that made something out of their lives did so due to their adoptive parents." It was my turn to swallow nervously.

"I was adopted and returned four times. First time, I was abused by the mother in a way that still haunts me." A flash of rage crossed her face, before calming as our eyes met. "Second and third times, the abuse was much more physical and verbal. The last time was the emotional abuse, which is why I always apologize." Her arms wrapped around me in a tight hug. Returning it gently, I was surprised when she leaned her forehead against mine.

"You didn't deserve to be treated like that, but look at what you did in spite of them. They didn't see the handsome man you'd end up being, and I promise you that I'll always be there for you." If my head was sent to space, it'd shine brighter than the sun due to my blush. Lex had one as well, but I think it's due to the promise she just made.

"Th-th-thank you. Now let's get some sleep." I replied, only to be surprised as she pushed me down to the bed.  
"Okay. We can share the bed."

"I-I can sleep on the floor. It's comfortable for me." She rolled her eyes before throwing her pillows next to mine.

"After what you just told me, there's no chance in hell of me letting you sleep by yourself. We can share the bed or floor. Personally, I'm comfortable with either" she blushed deeper and looked away shyly. "Due to how safe I feel near you."

"We can share the bed." A flash of regret flashed through her eyes as she realized what she had done.

"I'm sorry," she sighed before looking me in the eyes, "I didn't mean to be so forceful. It's a case of I'd rather be there to help calm you in case of a nightmare." She snuggled up to me, seemingly unaware of the rapid beating of my heart. As she lowered her head to my chest, it skipped a beat or two. Once she was situated, we both fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"So, what do you like to do for fun?" Lex asked as we got in the rental car. We've had plenty of time to actually talk, as she was going to be on Backstage and Vince wanted to personally meet with me in LA. So we decided to travel together. The rumor mill was probably spinning with a million different versions of us being in a relationship and all that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered to even be considered as a travel buddy for her. But the relationship talk was hysterical to me. Any of the single guys on the roster would have a better chance than I would. Hell, you could probably include certain fans in that!

"I like watching baseball and hockey. Personally, I'm an all Chicago fan. Bulls, Blackhawks, Bears, Cubs. Why?" I replied. She offered up a beautiful smile that was infectious. The way she made me feel kinda terrifies me.

"I mainly watch hockey. Might catch the occasional baseball game, but it really depends on how I feel. Anything else?"

"Reading. It got my mind off of things." She laid her hand on my knee. Knowing that she'd be there for me was nice. But the way her smile can entice me to do literally anything got me concerned. Dealt with girls like that three times, and each time was worse than the last.  
Her eyes made me wonder if she'd be different. Yet any type of hurt in them caused my heart to break. Another trait I dealt with, but only once thankfully. And I'd rather not remember those days.

"Do you know what Vince wanted to meet you for?" She asked, causing me to offer a weak smile in return. It told her the answer, as did my silence. Once we reached out intended location, Vince met us outside.

"Glad to see you made it!" His gruff voice holding a tone of excitement. Lex and I just looked at one another before shaking his hand.  
"I was scheduled to be on Backstage tonight. Just so happened that you wanted to meet with Matt." Lexi commented, confused at his excitement.

"I know. The rumor mill has been going crazy with you two potentially being together." Our eyes widened, fear coursing through my body at the very least. Who could even think I was worthy of being loved by Lexi? Seriously? Me. A guy who has no family.

"I-I-I didn't re-realize" Lexi stuttered, only for Vince to wave the concern off. A bright smile formed on his face.

"You've got nothing to be concerned about. People enjoyed the Moment of Bliss, and on one of the wide shots, the sight of you smiling while Matt was on the offense got people thinking about it." He paused to take a deep breath and turn his attention to me. "That's why we want you two to enter a romantic storyline together."

"What about his IC title shot?" Lex bit her lip immediately after asking the question.

"Well, it's honestly up in the air right now. Stephen has asked about getting one, and we're moving Nakamura to Raw after Mania. So we're planning on removing the strap from him. The only problem is that we can't really move it unless there's a solid reason."

"If the romantic storyline is going to take his shot away" Lex looked at me, letting her emotions cloud those beautiful gates to happiness. "I don't want to do it." Vince raised an eyebrow, while I cleared my throat.

"Give us a moment sir." He nodded before walking in to the building. Lex found herself wincing after looking at me in the eye. "Lex. Do you want to do a romantic story with me? Screw championship opportunities, just answer that question."

She took a deep breath to steel her nerves before answering. "Yes. Normally I'd say no, but I honestly feel like it would be a great opportunity for you." She was surprised as I wrapped my arms around her gently, pulling her in. She melted into it, returning the hug.

"Then we'll do the romantic story. I'm sure we could give Vince a reason to give us each a championship opportunity." She just mumbled something inaudibly, making me chuckle. My chin rested ever so softly on her head.

"I'm sure you two could." A female voice stated from behind us, holding back some laughter. Lexi pulled away and looked at the owner of the voice.

"Adrienne!" She launched herself at the her friend, almost knocking them both over. Renee Paquette-Good and William Reso stood behind them, laughing at their antics. Saraya-Jade Bevis just playfully rolled her eyes before joining in on the hug.  
Taking the time to silently step towards the building, I was surprised when William followed me.

"Thank you" he said, stepping inside. He turned to face me with a soft smile on his face. "You and Lexi seem to be close. Mind explaining the hug out there?"

"We were offered to do a romantic story together, but she was concerned with a title shot that had been discussed last Friday." He nodded.  
"Was it a shot for you or her?"

"Me. I'm not exactly too concerned about it, as I fully expect to be given the opportunity again." A soft sigh escaped me involuntarily. "Besides, I think her and Nikki deserve a shot at the Women's Tag Team Championships more than I deserve an IC shot." William just let out a low laugh.  
"You two are looking at the story in the wrong way." He gave a sly grin before continuing. "Look at it this way; how can this lead to everyone being satisfied. The answer lies at Mania." With that, he sauntered off, waving at Vince who was walking up.

"I assume you guys came to an agreement?"

"We did. She's outside, which is why I want to ask for a favor." Vince raised an eyebrow before motioning for me to continue. "Give Lex and Nikki a tag team championships match at Mania." Vince let out a resounding laugh in response.

"You're both having an opportunity to become champions at Mania." I was surprised at the announcement. "Nakamura agreed to drop the title in an Elimination Chamber match. We're going to give it to Stephen, as he would attack you the Smackdown before it. You'll be removed from that match, but the Backstage episode after the event, you'll be announced as the number one contender."

"Thank you sir."

"No need to thank me. What did you guys decide?" Lexi leapt on my back, giggling to herself before putting our cheeks together.

"I think we should do the story. But I don't think we should be overly scripted." She stated, her eyes focused on Vince. He offered up a sly smile and nodded in agreement. That was when he informed her of the opportunities for us at Mania.

"Now, this week, we're going to have you guys do a Secret Santa exchange. You'll be standing under a mistletoe, unless you guys want to avoid that."

"I-I'm o-okay with it" I stuttered, which made Lex giggle again.

"It should be under a mistletoe. Anything specific we have to get?" Vince smiled at the question.

"Something romantic. On that topic, how do you guys feel about going to New York for New Year's Eve?"

"I would love to sir!" The excitement in Lexi's voice made me smile involuntarily. Vince noticed it and gave a soft nod at the acceptance of hers.

"Then you two will get to be there as well. You won't have to worry about furthering the story there. Just have a great time." With that said, he left. Lexi remained on my back as the others walked to where they were needed.

"Lex, you want to get off?" I asked, only to receive no response. Once I set her down in a chair, she just started pouting. Her adorable face made me laugh before letting her climb onto my back again.

"Thank you." She muttered. "I know I agreed to the New Year's Eve party without thinking about you." I shushed her after that.

"It's something you want to do. That alone makes everything alright with me. Actually being there with you is just an added bonus." She blushed slightly, only for it to grow warmer as I continued. "Besides, if it makes you smile, I'd do it a thousand times over. Just to see that."

"You staying for Backstage?"

"More than likely. Why?"

"We should get something to eat after the show."

"Spend more time with you? Always gonna be a yes from me." She let out a content sigh before sliding off my back and going to do the show.

* * *

We got to the arena around two thirty, Lexi wearing a baby blue Disney shirt while I wore a Blissful Coffee shirt. I wore it because of the fact that I wouldn't have been able to wear a Breaking Benjamin shirt. She had made a comment on Tuesday about how we rarely agreed on music. Which wasn't too surprising, as I grew up with rap, rock, and stuff like that. She grew up with pop, country, and the like. We could agree to romantic songs, but for two very different reasons.

The leggings she had decided to wear were a little tight on her, which she waved off after I asked if she wanted to change out of them. Some of the workers seemed to enjoy the sight. It, admittedly, made me feel a tad bit jealous, but it was almost immediately replaced with disgrace. I remembered how bad that had ended last time. Which was with a baseball bat to my ribs and leg by my ex.

"You ready for the gift exchange?" Lexi drew me out of my misery and into Heaven with her megawatt smile.

"Yeah. Got you a self portrait." I replied, making her raise an eyebrow. The camera crew came by to get everything filmed. Vince had allowed us to do it early, as Lexi had wanted to get back home sooner rather than later. I was tagging along because why not?

* * *

"Matty!" Alexa exclaimed, giving me a one armed hug. "I got you in the Secret Santa drawing. Hope you like it." She finished, pulling away and handing me a box. Opening it up, it was a Javier Baez Cubs jersey.

"Its great. Thank you!" I offered her a soft smile as I pulled out a small box. Her eyes went wide at the sight of it, clearly thinking it was a ring. "I got you in the Secret Santa drawing as well, and decided to get you something to remind you of what you are." She nervously opened it, allowing the crew enough time to zoom in on the angel figurine.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she just hugged me. No words were said for a few seconds before she pulled back and thanked me. That was when I noticed the mistletoe hanging above us.

"Hurry up and kiss her you fool!" Roman announced his presence behind me, offering an encouraging smile to me. However, Alexa didn't give me a chance to do that, as she initiated the kiss. Once she pulled away and left, I just developed a lovesick grin.

* * *

"Good job you two!" Joe praised once the crew left. Lex came back as well, latching on to my arm. He very clearly wanted to say something, but held it in. Not that I was complaining.

"Thanks." I replied, as Lexi pulled us out of the way. Once he left, Lexi stood in front of me, her eyes alight with a soft fire.  
"A self portrait, huh? Mind telling me who it's of?" There was a tone of hopefulness in her question, along with an expectation of disappointment.

"You." I replied meekly, only for her to wrap me in yet another hug. This time, she didn't pull away quickly. Allowing me to feel the warmth of her. It was nice. Feels like I belong in her arms. But I've been there before.

"Matt" her soft voice refocused my mind on her. Those otherworldly eyes making me weak in the knees. "Thank you."

"Any time Angel." She blushed at the nickname. We remained backstage to watch the last Smackdown before Christmas, enjoying our time together. As it wound down, Lexi buried herself into my side, practically forcing my arm around her.

"Matt, you going to the holiday party on Monday?" She asked.

"I've got no idea. Probably if there's no alcohol involved. Why?" She turned her head upwards, allowing her puppy dog eyes to be plastered on involuntarily.

"I was hoping you'd go with me. There'll probably be some alcohol, but there'll be other drinks!" She explained, almost nervously. "Plus we could dance!" A soft sigh escaped me, making her flinch. It caught me off guard as well.

"You don't need to push so hard for it. I'll go, but I just want you to know that there's a very good chance of me being a wallflower."

"I don't want to force you to do anything that you don't want to." A smile formed on my face, making her quirk an eyebrow at it.  
"It's not a case of me not wanting to go. It's a case of me wanting to go, cause I know it'll make you happy. And that's all I want to do. Make you happy." Her cheeks burned with the fury of a thousand suns.

"You make it hard to keep my composure." She beamed at me. "Never change."

"For you, I'll only change for the better."

"Then you're already there." I couldn't help but feel shocked at such a statement.


	4. A Party and Fears

**I only own Matthew Drake/Knight. Everyone else is from WWE. This is the last slow chapter for a while. The reason there wasn't any updates the past few weeks is due to me working on future chapters. To explain, I've got an injury planned for Matt, a little bit more backstory on the pair's first meeting, and them kinda explaining why they established such a strong connection. Chapter ten will be the rumble, and chapter nine is going to be a nice little setup for everything. One other thing, don't expect frequent updates until the summer. I've got two Star Wars stories being worked on, as well as this, another wrestling one that, admittedly, is kinda canned for now, and a comic story. Once everything is released, I'll be able to post more chapters. Until then, a little bit of a fun story: I based the jeweler in this chapter off of my brother, and used his first name for this character. The reason? Because he inspired me to be a better man. Which will come into play at Mania, whether it's against The Fiend or Sheamus in the story.**

* * *

I woke up to see Lex still resting peacefully, her head on my chest. The sunlight that peaked in made her hair shine golden. It was breathtakingly gorgeous. How could someone like her not have a man who was giving her the world?

That was mind boggling to me. They have an _angel_ loving them, and not one thought to give her the world? Shaking my head, I gently lifted her head off of me and slowly made my way to the bathroom. Stripping down, I entered the hot water as she let out a soft groan.

Once I was done and dressed, she waited by the door with a playful glare.

"You took my pillow away. What are you gonna do to make it up to me?"

"How about breakfast together. Does that work for you Angel?" She playfully tapped her chin before letting out a dramatic sigh.

"I guess. But we should get some coffee as well."

"You will. Kinda like hearing your voice throughout the day." She blushed before grabbing a change of clothes and entering the bathroom. As the water started running, I felt myself relax a little. We were going to head to the party at about six, but Lex said she wanted to do some running beforehand. Which meant I was being dragged along.

Not that I wasn't going to have much choice. She had asked me on the flight back to Orlando, which got us back late yesterday night. Once I agreed, she gave me the brightest smile imaginable. My heart almost stopped at the sight.

As much as I tried to fight it, the truth is that I love her. And that scared me. My past forays into the relationship game have ended disastrously. Could this be any different? Hell, she could have any guy she wanted, so how long until he came along and I was forgotten?

"Matt, you alright?" Lex asked, allowing me to get a good look at the outfit. A light blue shirt with a pair of swords behind a shield on the front. The back read _'Long Live The King' _in dark red. A shirt from my time in Mexico where I went by the name of Brad King. She wore a pair of faded blue jeans that had been bedazzled.

All in all, it seemed to be the perfect outfit for her. Her jeans hugged her hips and legs, while the shirt wasn't too baggy on her. A soft smile crawled on to my face as she stared me in the eyes.

"You look absolutely perfect." She blushed and hugged me. Returning it, I couldn't help but catch a whiff of her strawberry shampoo. It might've been the conditioner, but I'm not sure. Very rarely did I get to be so close to an ex.

"Thanks. You ready to go?"

"Yeah. Where do you want to go first?" She gave me a sly grin before tossing me the car keys. Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"You get to decide. After all, don't you want to treat me like a Princess?" I knew she meant it in a teasing way, but all I could remember was the time an ex used that to….. _violate _me. Giving her a weak nod, she seemed to be content with the answer.

"I'm surprised you chose this place." Lexi commented as we pulled into a nice restaurant. Her eyes taking in the soft exterior that exuded 'peaceful' meals.

"Don't like it?" I replied, trying to bury my discomfort. She hasn't picked up on it, which is both good and bad. Good cause I didn't want to burden her with it, but bad cause that was all I could think about when not driving. Hell, I didn't have an appetite due to it!

She got herself a nice breakfast, complete with a special coffee. I paid for it, making her bite her lip. Almost like she didn't want me to do so. But I knew that probably wasn't the case.

As we reached the mall, Lexi seemed to have been debating something. Our visits went pretty quickly until she spotted a sports store. It was close to a jewelry store, so we went our separate ways for a few.

I had been searching for a necklace for Lexi. A way to show her how I truly felt. While it was relatively quick, seeing as how we've only really talked over texts and the phone, I couldn't help myself. I really don't know, nor _want_ to know, how to live without her calming presence.

"I think you'll find this necklace to be perfect." I turned to face a man who was maybe twenty at most. His hair was down in a buzz, while a small tuft of hair rested on his chin. The athletic build was accented by a nice suit. It wasn't tailored, but it seemed like it was.

"Could you engrave it with a saying please?" I asked, not looking at the necklace. As he held it up, a soft gasp escaped me. It was absolutely the perfect thing for Lex!

It was a big heart that had what appeared to be a pair of hands holding one another in the middle. It was silver, but the hands were golden.

"I can. Give me an hour or two." I nodded before heading back to meet Lexi. We continued shopping, with Lexi just content to hang off my arm. Returning to the store, the man handed me the necklace as soon as I paid for it.

'**My angel, you hold my heart' **was engraved on the back. Thanking him, I left and met up with Lexi, who wanted to watch a fantasy movie.

It ran for an hour and forty-five minutes, with her sobbing towards the end. There had been a scene where the heroine was bit by a snake and it affected her. Badly.

"I can't believe that they didn't warn her about the snake!" She ranted, allowing herself to fall into my side. We quickly got to the car and returned to her house to get ready for the party.

"Why don't you like snakes?" I asked, earning a soft glare in return.

"I don't _hate _them. I just don't like it when people keep secrets." Nodding my head, my eyes flew towards an end table. Lexi noticed it and quickly picked it up and rushed upstairs. When she returned, I could see her eyes darting around. Raising an eyebrow, she just turned away and mumbled something about presents.

We arrived at the party and Lexi quickly fell into her group of friends. Some of them were drinking, while others were dancing and having a good time. Vince had rented out a decent building for it. Lex explained that last year it was in somebody's house, so he decided to at least help give them more room.

"You're staring at her again." Joe chuckled, patting me on the back. Next to him were his cousins Jon and Josh Fatu, also known as The Usos. They both had a cup of some soft drink, while Joe was sipping a bottle of Coors Light.

"That's all I can do" I found myself saying. Joe raised an eyebrow at it before telling me to explain. "I love her, but she deserves someone better than me. Someone who actually knows how to react to teasing statements and can treat her like a Princess."

"And you think you can't do that?"

"I know I can't. Last time I attempted that, it ended with me in the hospital. I don't want her to sacrifice her happiness for my sake." I walked away after that, searching for a quiet corner to stand in and be invisible. That way Lexi would be able to find someone better for her.

"So, you really think you're not worthy enough for her?" Matthew Adams said as I passed by. I really wasn't paying attention to where I was going, making this even more awkward.

"Correct. She needs someone who can-" he cut me off with a fierce glare. Almost like he saw through everything. Dragging me to an empty room, he let out a snarl.

"You're going to tell me the truth. Cause I know for a fact that you love her, and she lights up like the Fourth of July night sky when you're near her." The look in his eyes told me that there was no way I could BS my way out of it.

"Do you _really _want me to tell you the truth?" He nodded, so I swallowed my fears and began explaining. Matt didn't interrupt and gave me time to catch my breath. Once I was done, he just shook his head and sighed.

"You need to tell her. Don't assume she'd be better off with someone else when you're making her happy. She'll be more than happy to stay by your side. You're not alone. You have her, Claudio, Joe, Jon, Josh, and I to help you."

"I know you guys will help me. It's a case of how can I be worthy of her? She's perfect, and I'm….. me"

"Trust me. She'd say the same thing about you. You may have only really been together for a few weeks, but she's not one who takes to someone that quickly." He opened the door for us, keeping a soft smile on his face. Like he knew something I didn't. As we rejoined the party, Lexi practically jumped into my arms. The stench of alcohol on her breath, but it wasn't overpowering.

"Matty!" She was buzzed, but not totally and completely gone. "Can we dance? Pwease?" Her childish question made me smile. Leading her to an open area, we started with some slow dancing. It was to _You Are The Reason _by Calum Scott. She laid her head down on my collarbone, contently sighing. Everything felt right with her in my arms.

"What did you and Buddy talk about?" She mumbled sleepily, keeping her head on me.

"It's a secret you'll get to hear tomorrow." That made her look at me, but it was clear that she didn't like the answer. While she didn't say anything, I felt her tighten her grip on me.

"What was in the box you had earlier?" She asked, making me bite my lip.

"Something you'll get tomorrow for Christmas. I'll explain everything there. I promise" I replied. She pulled away and glared at me, like she's heard that saying a million times. As the songs progressed, we remained in the same slow dance position till she asked to leave.

As we got to the car, I noticed how upset she looked. There was some anger in her eyes, but it didn't cloud them. She wasn't a fan of secrets, but I didn't want to spring it on her during the party. Hell, I didn't want to tell her till next year!

But she deserves to know. It's for the best, even though I really don't believe it. Having her at least know of the situation would make everything better. Or worse, depending on her reaction. I honestly don't know what would be the worst case scenario for telling her.

She may tell me I'm just a friend, or she might tell me we have no chance at being together. Both are pretty bad, but I _hope_ that she won't go that route. Been there a time or two, and it hurt me. Bad.

* * *

We got back to Lexi's house and walked in. She had discovered that I was staying in a hotel and essentially allowed me to stay with her until I got my own place. The reason I was staying in the hotel was due to my ex.

She had taken a large amount of money from my account, thrown out almost everything that was mine, and put me into a tough position. It was her way of showing just how worthless I was to her. That _she _had settled for someone of 'lower standard' in her eyes.

If I went to get my stuff, she'd say I came crawling back. If I didn't, then how could I claim it was important? Anyone who tried helping me ended up leaving. The situation had cost me a pretty good shot at being in Japan right now.

"Will this be enough to get you to tell me everything?" Lexi's soft voice was filled with agitation. Looking at her, I found myself blushing a deep red as she stood there in her underwear.

"I'll tell you in the morning. I promise you. Please get dressed" I replied, trying to keep myself from fainting. My mind kept trying to go down the rabbit hole of painful memories.

"I want to know now. Hell, record me giving my consent if you want!" Her voice never rose, yet to me, it was as loud as a freight train barrelling into my body. Forcing myself to remain in the moment, I allowed a shaky breath to leave through my mouth.

"I'm not going to take advantage of you. You're drunk and not thinking straight." I swallowed nervously again, before whispering "I'm not like her."

"So what? Isn't this what you wanted?" Her voice betrayed her, quivering with hurt towards the end. Offering a weak shake of my head, she sighed before going up the stairs. As she disappeared, the full weight of the memories crashed like waves upon rocks.

All the times I asked for it to stop. Times where I could barely breathe due to injuries given. How every single person that adopted me seemingly cared about how it would make them look.

I couldn't help but be scared of the talk we were going to have in the morning. But it needs to happen.


	5. Explanations and Facing Cesari

**I only own the original character. Sorry for the wait, but I've been working on a lot of stories. Got the Star Wars story about ready, as well as a Girl Meets World story. However, with everything going on in the world, I'm going to have plenty of time to work on these. Anyways, on to the story!**

* * *

I stood over the frying pan, making some pancakes and eggs, while preparing to toast some bread. All without a shirt on, but that's due to me having to dress Lexi yesterday.

To explain it, I walked upstairs yesterday night to leave a note on her nightstand. But as I walked in, she was still in her underwear and wasn't under the covers. She muttered about being cold, so I went back downstairs and grabbed the extra pair of sweats I brought. Still clean, as I didn't wear them. Lexi was surprisingly working with me as they went on. She didn't protest my help when I put my shirt on her, noticing that it was comically large on her.

From there, I managed to get her under the covers and tucked her in. Later in the night, since sleep wasn't going to be possible, I placed some headache relief and a glass of water on her nightstand as well. Moving the note somewhere safer, I let out a low sigh in an effort to not wake her up.

As I started to plate the food, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist, the blonde hair slipping into sight. A soft smile crept up on my face, letting my body relax in her hold.

"You make it hard for me to stay mad at you." She mumbled, hesitantly breaking the hug. We sat at the table and ate breakfast in silence. It was both awkward and peaceful. But there was a bit of fear in her eyes. Offering her a reassuring smile, I finished my plate and placed it in the sink.

"Matt" her voice was soft and brittle, like she was about to break down in tears. "I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday."

"Don't be." I allowed myself a deep breath, taking her empty plate to the sink. "You don't like people keeping secrets, and I did exactly that."

"It's more than that." Her voice went small as I raised an eyebrow. She pointed to the living room, which I agreed to. Picking her up bridal style, her eyes went wide while my cheeks warmed up.

"There. Now then, if you want to go first, you can." She gave me a pleading look, asking me to go first.

"You remember when you asked me if I wanted to treat you like a Princess?" She nodded, "well, an ex always asked me that. If I didn't agree, she'd burst into tears saying how I didn't love her. If I agreed, she would prey upon my fears to get what she wanted."

"She got me drunk one day and took advantage of it. She then said that it was my fault for not treating her correctly. When I tried arguing, she got violent." Lexi's hand rested on top of mine. "Her preferred weapon was a rolling pin. But our last fight, she used a bat." Lexi let out an audible gasp, her eyes full of anger and fear.

"Suffered a couple of broken ribs and my knee was dislocated, but that was it. It's the reason I'm living in a hotel right now and have had nightmares."

"Matt." Her voice was full of anguish as tears formed in her eyes. Clearly upset at how she acted yesterday. "I-I'm s-s-so so-sorry!" She buried her head into my chest, the tears streaking down her cheeks, as I rubbed her back soothingly. I knew that she didn't mean anything by it, yet my mind went there. It irked me to no end.

What I didn't expect was her to pull away, eyes still wet. She began telling her story, voice full of pain.

"Last year, there was a guy who I had been seeing. With the concussions, I was scared that my career was over, and he willfully preyed upon it. Talking about how every single guy just wanted to use me. How they viewed me as nothing more than a conquest for their appetite." She involuntarily shivered, which made me wrap my arms around her tighter. She accepted it before continuing, "he even went out of his way to flirt with every girl just to prove he settled for me." I felt myself become angry with the dumbass.

"He kept secrets from me, mainly that he had been cheating. Once I found out, he just laughed and said that all I'd be is nothing more than another notch on people's belts. Yesterday, you were so distant that I was scared. That's why I ended up being so weird."

"Lex," I started, my voice soft enough to have her look at me. It was hard to resist trying to kiss her, but that wouldn't help me. "You're more than that. To me, you're perfection personified." I felt my face burning, but continued. "And you deserve better than me, but I'm terrified of losing you." Her eyes widened in shock.

"Matty," she started, "you won't lose me. I lo-lo-lo-" I cut her off, a warm smile on my face.

"Can't bring yourself to say that word?" I 'asked' knowing full well that she couldn't. Once she confirmed it with a nod, she looked away from me. Gently placing my hand on her chin, she moved with it. "Don't worry about it. I think we can both agree to it being pretty quick, but it doesn't really need to be said right now."

Her face was burning up as she stared into my eyes. "This might be too soon, but you make my day brighter. If you want to go slow, we can."

"Then let us continue to be how we were before Angel." She bit her lip before repositioning herself on the couch.

"If you want, you could stay here. It'll be cheaper than a hotel, and it would cut down travel costs."

"Where would I sleep?" She blushed a deep red before looking up shyly.

"I-I-In m-my b-be-bed." Her eyes widened before meekly adding in "IF YOU WANT TO!" I playfully tapped my chin before sighing.

"I mean, I _guess _you talked me into it." The look of pure elation on her face told the entire story. Her arms quickly wrapped around my chest, as she finally realized that I was shirtless.

"Where's your shirt?"

"You're wearing it." She looked up at me with a questioning look. "Yesterday, after you stripped," she looked away sadly, remembering her unnecessary outburst, "I couldn't sleep, so I wrote the apology note and asked if we could talk." I took a breath to calm myself.

"You weren't under the covers so I uhhhh….. Saw you without sleeping clothes on." Our faces were burning red with embarrassment. "You were shivering, so I had to dress you. Instead of rummaging through your clothes, I gave you the fresh sweats and the shirt And then I tucked you in."

"You're something else. You know that?" She stated, giving me a soft kiss on the lips. I was absolutely shocked by it, but she didn't seem to notice. "You didn't take advantage of me when after I was drinking, made sure to dress me when I was cold, tucked me in, and made breakfast for us." She batted her eyelashes at me, making my throat run dry.

"I-I di-didn't-" she cut me off with a soft smile. Her lips met mine for a second time, only this time I returned the kiss.

"You could've easily decided to not be so gentlemanly, and no one would've blamed you aside from me." She sighed before continuing. "I never want you to change. I'll always be here for you." She handed me the box she hid yesterday. Opening it, I was surprised to see an expensive gold Rolex watch, encased with diamonds. Flipping it over, I read the inscription out loud.

"_I'm much more me when with you." _I offered her a soft smile as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in as close as possible.

"Thank you. This is amazing." She returned the hug, only to let out a groan of disappointment as I slid her to the side and grabbed the necklace box from my bag. Her eyes could barely contain her emotions as she opened it.

"Matty." Her voice was soft, almost breaking with unshed tears as she pulled the necklace out. Two diamonds were on either side of the heart, the two hands holding in the middle. As she flipped it over and read the inscription, the tears slowly slipped down her cheeks. Brushing them away with my thumb, she grabbed my hand and held it. "Thank you."

She got up to change, sending me a soft smile over her shoulder. When she returned, my mouth hung open as she wore a light grey shirt that had the words 'Blissful Knight' encased in pink and light blue.

"This was given to me by Vince. He had asked about potential duo merch for us. Do you like it?" She asked while sitting down. I couldn't find the words to describe how much I liked it, so I did the second best thing. Kissed her forehead. "One kiss is a maybe. Perhaps another one would say yes." Giving her another kiss, she giggled before cuddling up to me.

"Ya know, I'm glad we were able to talk." She simply nodded in agreement. As we watched the Christmas movies, I felt her squirming into my side. Her face contorted into anger or disappointment. "What's up?"

"I'm just thinking. Do you mind laying down?" As I did, she smiled and laid in front of me. My arm snaked around her waist, almost as if it was her security blanket. A content sigh was all I needed to hear.

"Do you want to come with me to meet my parents? We've got the Cincinnati show on Thursday, so I figure it would be nice to get out there tomorrow and spend the day with them."

"Isn't that what couples usually do after a few months of dating?" She blushed at the question, looking off to the side.

"You don't _have _to go. I just figured it would be easier for us." Arching an eyebrow at her displeased voice, I had to ask one question.

"What made you think I didn't want to? I'm always game for spending more time with you."

"Then why did you ask about couples doing it?"

"Cause I thought it was usually just a couples moment." She groaned as she realized what I meant.

"Sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for. It's an honest mistake, and besides," lowering to her ear, I whispered, "you look adorable when you get shy."

"Ha ha." She stated sarcastically, yet there was a smile on her face. "But yes. Usually couples end up meeting the parents. Friends do as well."

"Then I'd love to." With that, we settled into a peaceful day. She informed her parents, who seemed excited, and quickly got packed. I went and grabbed my stuff from the hotel and returned to Lexi's house. Still surprised that she offered me a place to stay. Of course, she did have _one _request. That I slept without a shirt.

Her reasoning? She didn't want her favorite pillow covered up.

* * *

We got backstage and were immediately greeted by Bruce and Nic. They wore smiles on their faces, as did Lex. She had been told that while she _wasn't _winning the Women's Rumble, she'd be cheated out of it by Nikola, who'd be helping Amanda.

"Matt! You've got an important match tonight!" Bruce greeted. "Claudio needs an opponent for the day, and specifically asked for you. As of right now, we don't know when it'll take place on the card due to Vince wanting to know how long you'd be going.

"Do we have to set it up in a certain way?" I asked, earning a soft shake from Bruce. "Then we could easily go for twenty to thirty minutes." Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Lexi biting her lip to prevent herself from saying anything.

"We'll pencil in twenty-five. Vince'll probably make it the main event, unless Joe or Thomas have a problem with it." Nic laughed it off before looking at me.

"Joe would probably punch Vince before having a problem with it. Thomas will probably be relieved. But, that's not the only good news. We're going to be dragging out our match till the Rumble." He announced, smirking at me.

"That's fine by me. Now then, may I ask exactly _why _we're going to be in the main event?"

"Joe. He had been watching some of your independent matches and felt like you should get a chance to prove yourself. Claudio overheard him and asked to be your opponent." I just nodded, which they took as a sign to leave.

"So….. Twenty to thirty minutes. Is that the longest you can go?" Lexi innocently asked, making me smirk.

"I've gone longer. Don't think Vince is willing to give us an hour or more however." She just nodded before pecking my cheek.

"Okay. Let's get ready for the show."

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, my guest; Matt Knight." I stepped into the camera shot while wearing a black shirt. "Matt, at TLC, you tried to help out Roman Reigns. Could you shed light on the reason for it?" Kayla asked.

"Simple Kayla. I'm not one who's going to sit on the sidelines while people get jumped. So, I did what I've done many times in the past."

"Well, what about Alexa Bliss?"

"What about her?"

"The rumor mill has been running rampant about you being together. So, what's the deal between you two?"

I laughed it off. "She's a perfect angel. She deserves someone who can give her the world." With that, I walked away and waited for Dolph to finish running his mouth about how Cesaro was going to beat me.

* * *

As _Adrenaline _blared through the arena, the fans gave me a respectable pop. Sliding under the bottom rope, I made my way to the corner and awaited my opponent for the night. Cesaro sauntered out as the rhythmic beat of his music reached it's crescendo. He was flanked by Nakamura and Sami Zayn. The Great Liberator as he called himself. As soon as Cesaro's music stopped, the ref called for the match to start.

We locked up in a collar and elbow tie up, which Cesaro turned into a side headlock. Backing us to the ropes, I managed to get enough leverage to launch him off. He came back with a shoulder block which sent me to the mat. He then ran to the left, off the ropes for a move. Quickly reacting, I rolled on to my stomach, forcing him to leap over.

As he came back, I leapfrogged over him and ran to the ropes and back. We met in the middle of the ring with the same thought; shoulder block. However, we remained standing. Taking the initiative, I ran to the west side of the ring, hitting their ropes and flying towards Cesaro. He smirked before leapfrogging me, letting my momentum hit the east facing ropes. Returning the favor from earlier by dropping to his stomach and forcing me to leap over. On the third go around, he leveled me with a clothesline.

He didn't let up, stomping down on my torso, before dropping three elbows into my chest. From there, he lifted me up and whipped me into the Southwest corner. A running clothesline sent me stumbling forward before he hit a bulldog. In a feat of strength, he lifted me up for a gutwrench suplex not once, not twice, not even _thrice_, but four times. The crowd gave him a loud cheer for the feat.

His mocking bows gave me time to get my bearings. As he went for another gutwrench, I quickly turned it into a hurricanrana. Wasting no time, I struck him with a shining wizard and a standing moonsault. As he rolled on his side, I grinned before hitting his back with a baseball slide. Once he was on his stomach, I walked to the northeast corner and climbed it, launching myself off it for a shooting star press.

It landed, but I felt a sharp pain surge through my ribs. Cesaro took the time to roll out of the ring and catch his breath. The ref came to check on me, but I shrugged it off. Realizing where he was, a sly grin formed as I ran towards the north ropes. Diving between the top and middle ropes, Cesaro caught me and lifted me in the air. Slamming me down on the thinly padded floor, Cesaro began laughing while he began dismantling the announce table. While I groaned in pain, I noticed Zayn celebrating the move. It irked me.

Cesaro lifted me up and slammed me down with a Ricola bomb through the table. Cesaro rolled in the ring to break the ten count and back out. He stomped down on my torso again, focusing on my ribs. After a few, he lifted me again and went to whip me into the stairs. I managed to counter it, and barely reached the ring before being counted out.

Much like Cesaro, I rolled back to the outside and lifted him up. Throwing him back into the ring, I climbed up to the apron. Zayn grabbed my ankle while the ref was distracted by Nakamura. Attempting to shack him off, I didn't realize Cesaro got to his feet and hit me with a shoulder to the gut. Nakamura climbed off the apron, allowing the ref to watch Cesaro attempt an apron suplex.

I countered it into a poisonrana, earning a 'holy shit' chant from the crowd. As we laid on the mat, a soft smile slowly grew on both of our faces. At the count of six, we had crawled to the ropes. By nine, we were both standing. The crowd let our a voracious roar of approval.

We began trading punches, yays for me, boos for Cesaro. Ducking underneath his sixth, I knees him in the gut. Following it up, I hit him with a running Yakuza boot. As he dropped to a knee, I hit a shining wizard for the second time and went for the pin.

1…..

2… He kicked out.

Measuring him, I hit him with a belly to back side slam. Going for another cover, the ref pointed to his foot. It was under the bottom rope, which meant a rope break. Groaning, I lifted him up and hit a pumphandle emerald flowsion, hooking the leg after hitting it.

However, Sami Zayn jumped on the apron and began distracting the ref. The crowd counted to ten before I realized what was happening. Going over to the pair, I grabbed the ref and asked what he was doing. While we argued, Zayn shook Cesaro and pointed at us.

He groggily got up, and hit me with an uppercut to the back. He paired it with an inverted suplex, and kept a hold of me. Lifting me in the air and quickly grabbing my wrist. He smirked before ripcording me into a Neutralizer hold. Fighting out of it, I crawled between his legs and hit him with a Pelé kick. While it knocked him silly, it also caused another shot of pain through my ribs. Slowly getting up, I grabbed his wrist and hit him with a ripcord elbow. As he fell, so did I, but my arm managed to end up draped over his chest.

1….

2….

3 RING THE BELL!

Slowly getting backstage, I was surprised at how many people were standing there. Joe was at the head with a bright smile.

"Damn kid. Didn't know you had that in you." He commented, making me laugh. Shrugging the pain off, I smiled back.

"Could've gone another hour or so." Amanda walked up, trailing her finger down my chest. A sultry grin adorned her face.

"Oh really? Perhaps you should prove it to me." Lexi glared at the back of her head while I chuckled.

"I'd rather get some rest. Claudio knows how to bring the best out of me." He let out a boisterous laugh as his trio came back. Rami and Nakamura looked impressed, while noticing Lexi and Amanda. Rami bit his lip to avoid saying anything.

"Matt, you've come a long way. No need to sell yourself short. Now go get changed!" With that said, I made my way back to the locker-room and quickly changed. However, I didn't realize that there was another soul in the room. One who's face matched the pink highlights of her hair.

"Y-You ready?" Her soft voice broke the comfortable silence. Noticing her face, it didn't take long for me to put two and two together.

"Yeah. Didn't realize you were in here, otherwise I would've changed in the bathroom." She just shook her head and motioned for me to follow her. As we got to her car, we agreed to leave our gear bags in the trunk for the night. Just to make sure the room didn't stink.

We reached the room, which was on the third floor of the hotel. It had a restaurant and club attached to it, but Lex had made it clear she didn't want to go to either until the morning. To be completely honest, I didn't even think about offering to go to them. She seemed out of it in the car. Hopping in the shower, I heard the door open. Poking my head out from the curtain, I saw Lex bringing in a pair of shorts and underwear for me.

"Matt. You forgot to grab clothes, so I brought some in." She turned and noticed me staring at her. A blush slowly crept up on her face.

"Thank you. For everything." She walked out, and I finished up. Drying myself, I let out a soft sigh before staring at my reflection.

Lex made me so much better than I ever thought possible. Her laugh, her smile, her hugs. All of them brightened my day. Whenever we kiss, whether it's a peck on the cheek or forehead, for TV, or just because we want to, my heart beats a little faster. One gaze into her gorgeous eyes ensnares me. Her shyness makes my heart skip a few beats.

I love her. She's my everything. Every waking moment I want to prove just how much she means to me. Every night before going to bed, I wonder how she could see anything in me.

As I finished getting dressed, my eyes landed on Lexi. Her light grey sleeping pants matched her shirt that hugged her chest. A look of possessiveness in her eyes. Locking me in a tight hug, I found every ache and pain disappear from my body.

"I'm the person who'll test your stamina." Her voice held a slight tone of fear hidden under the possessiveness. It made me chuckle.

"Angel, you're the person who I'd like to spend the rest of my life with." Realizing what I said, my face quickly went from lightly tanned to fire red in an instant. Her eyes widened and looked away shyly before kissing me on the lips. When we pulled apart, a soft smile remained on our faces.

"If you feel the same way in Houston, we'll become serious. Deal?"

"Deal."


	6. Quick Update

**Sorry for the lack of updates. The story will be continued, however, due to the sudden death of a friend, the next update will be early next week. That said, I'm also going to be working on another wrestling story set in AEW. Can't wait for you guys to read that, and I promise you that the next chapter will be worth the wait.**


	7. Earning A Chance

**I'm back. Sorry for the long wait, but I really fell out of a lot of things, but I'm back with the story. Did you know that I own only Matt? Well I do.**

* * *

Lexi laid in the bed, eyes slightly watering due to the sneezes. A bowl of chicken noodle soup on her nightstand, while she watched reruns of her favorite shows. The medicine she's been using was on the nightstand by my side, which is still surprising. I'm not complaining, just realizing how lucky I am.

"Matt" the hoarse voice that replaced Lexi's soft, angelic voice called. Going into the room, she handed me her bowl and glass. I got her more orange juice and set the bowl in the sink.

Vince was more than happy to let us stay in Orlando for New Year's Eve due to her being sick. Of course, Lex had been apologizing for it, even though it wasn't her fault. Which is why I made sure to record the celebration. We may not be able to be there in person, but I'm sure she'll love watching it.

Once she was passed out, I hopped in to take a quick shower. Lex had an impressive home gym that we've been using. She had asked me for some help with her in-ring stuff and I agreed. On the days she didn't need it, I used it to help improve my cardio and work on striking.

"She's been working with Mike. He's a master at getting people to use their athleticism in the ring. If you weren't athletic, then he'd get you to use it as a way to escape holds and all that." I muttered, shutting off the shower. Quickly drying myself and changing into a pair of sweats and a tank top, I left the bathroom. Lexi was stirring in her sleep.

"Afternoon Angel" I greeted as her eyes fluttered open. A soft smile graced her face.

"Glad I've got a sexy nurse" she drowsily replied, causing me to laugh shyly. As she began to realize what was said, her cheeks went from pale to pink in a second.

"If you feel the same way in Houston, we'll become serious. Deal?" She let out a soft laugh that quickly turned into a coughing fit. As it died down, she gave me a soft nod. Getting her more orange juice, she thanked me and slowly sipped on it.

The rest of the week passed, with me being her willing nurse. She batted her eyelashes at me with every thank you. Just to make sure I blushed before leaving the room. Every afternoon, as she took a nap, I got a quick workout in and a shower.

New Year's Day, the majority of her symptoms had dispersed, and we had agreed to watch the ball drop at noon. When it did, I lifted Lexi's chin up and planted a kiss on her. However, she made sure to slip in some tongue. When we parted due to oxygen, she had a sly grin on her face.

"That was the _best _kiss for New Year's I'll ever get." She stated while I just chuckled before giving her a quick kiss.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps we could do a test to see if it could be better?"

"How about in Houston?" A playful sigh escaped me.

"I think I can wait that long."

"Good. Cause I _really _hope we end up on the same page in Houston." She sauntered off, adding an extra pep in her step, almost teasingly. Shaking my head, I went to work out. This time, I focused on putting more emphasis on my cardio.

The match with Claudio was fun, but it had been quite some time since I've gone for such a long time. Not to mention the slight aggravation my ribs suffered. Gotta make sure I can go even longer if given the chance.

Speeding up the pace, I decided to take my tank top off, only for Lexi to let out a wolf whistle. Turning to face her, my response died at the sight of her.

Her blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail, and her blue eyes glittered with humor and hope. Her tank top flowed down to the crotch of her yoga pants, both of which were a royal blue color. A soft smile gracing her face.

"You mind helping me with some holds?" She asked. Agreeing to it, we began with submissions. While it was clear that she wasn't fond of using them, she picked them up relatively quick. Before long, we worked on counters to the many holds.

"Let's take a break" I offered, noticing her tiring. She gratefully accepted and sat on a lifting bench. I tossed her a bottle of Gatorade, catching her by surprise.

"Drink it. It'll help you recover from your cold and the workout." She did, but not before rolling her eyes. When she pulled it away, she gave me a perplexed look.

"This tastes funny. Did you do something?"

"Let me see it." She gave it to me, and I quickly realized the problem.

"I didn't do anything on purpose," I began slowly, as she glared at me, "but that was a week old."

"I fully expected it to be something of a more sexual nature." She explained, letting the glare dissipate. Giving her a shy smile and fresh Gatorade, she thanked me. We headed out to the living room, with her taking a detour to the bathroom for a quick shower.

"Do you have a name for the elbow finisher?" She asked as she returned.

"Not really. I didn't expect it to be so popular with Vince, so I never thought about giving it one. Why?"

"W-well, I-I was wondering if y-you'd be willing to let me name it?" The worried look in her eyes caused me to give a calming smile in return.

"Go ahead."

She gulped loudly, but it wasn't on purpose. "I want to call it the _Blissful Knightmare _and if you'd be alright with me using it as well?"

A dusty blush warmed both our faces. "Be my guest. You make it look good."

"Because of my looks or ability?" She quietly asked, her voice filled with hurt while staring at the floor. Lifting her chin, I gave her the warmest smile I possibly could.

"Let me start by saying that you look great in anything." Her blush deepened, as did the hurt in her eyes. "But I've _seen _you work out. In the ring, on your cardio, on everything. You give a thousand percent into making sure you make the moves look good. That speaks volumes to the type of person you are."

"Thank you." She mumbled, wrapping me in a vice like hug. We stayed like that for a few minutes, allowing ourselves to relax. When we parted, I went to take my shower. A few minutes later, I was dried and dressed when Lex opened the door. Her eyes were wide as she showed me a design.

It was a sword that was down the middle, with her face on either side of it. Blissful Knight was written on the shirt, with 'Blissful' resting above the pommel and encased by pink. 'Knight' was at the tip, enclosed by light blue.

"Vince wants to release this shirt at the Royal Rumble!" She squealed with excitement. I arched an eyebrow, causing her to replace the excitement with a shy smile. "They want us to do a segment where you comfort me and admit your feelings for me."

"Well, we know that you're going to be distracted by Nikola, so let's play off of that."

"What do you mean?"

"Simple. After the four of you are eliminated, we could have it where I hold you back. You'd get upset, and I'll put on the charm." I flashed her a smile, earning a soft sigh in response.

"So you're going to be acting the same way as always."

"Hopefully without stuttering due to your eyes." She blushed before shaking her head. The adorable soft smile that made my heart beat a little faster plastered on her face.

"You're amazing. " With that, she went back to the living room and put on a movie. Following her, I quickly noticed it as one of her favorite Disney movies. As soon as I sat next to her, she cuddled up to my side. Before long, we were both asleep in an awkward position.

* * *

"So, you've got Hennig tonight. Think you could get people to buy into him?" Claudio asked as I walked in the locker-room. Giving him a soft chuckle and nod, I quickly got changed and went out to the ring. A few others were working on their matches, while a few felt like sitting in the front row.

"So, you mind telling me exactly why Lexi has been smiling all day?" Nic asked playfully, with Nicola next to him. Their eyes gleaming with mischief. A nervous chuckle was all I could do.

"Well, we fell asleep on the couch on Wednesday. We woke up at the same time to realize that our hands were full of one another." Nic patted my shoulder.

"So?"

"Last time I woke up with a hand where hers was, the person didn't care about me. Yet with Lexi, her immediate response was to apologize. So I told her that it was alright, and realized that I had done the same thing." Nicola was practically jumping at the sight of my face slowly turning redder and redder. "She then told me that she felt me pull her in closer during the night because she shivered."

"Why did she shiver?" Nicola gleefully asked, causing Lexi to speak up from behind her. A soft smile creeping on her lips.

"A nightmare. From the guy you had to threaten Nic." She hugged me tightly, allowing me to relax. "His hands were both at my waist, while my hand was on the crotch of his sweats." Nic's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. She offered up the sweetest smile she possibly could to me. "Matt, if I see your ex, don't be surprised if I knock her out."

"I would be surprised if you managed to keep your cool if you met her."

"Why would you knock his ex out?" Nicola asked. I answered, feeling Lexi tighten her grip on me.

"She had repeatedly forced me into uncomfortable situations, used to beat me when I disagreed with her, and had forced me to live in a hotel." She just nodded before grabbing Lexi and taking her to the ring.

Nic offered up a friendly smile before heading to the back. I remained standing there, fixated on the tandem of Nicola and Lexi. They were working on a few things, seemingly content to ignore everyone else. A soft chuckle emanated next to me from Vince McMahon.

"Those two have a lot of potential to be great, don't they?" He asked with a fatherly smile.

"Yes they do."

"You were ready to sacrifice your own opportunity to get them one."

"Yes sir. Still am if necessary." Vince just laughed it off.

"No chance of that. Especially after last week. However, something has been brought to my attention." I raised an eyebrow, to which he motioned for me to follow him. He led me to a computer, with a YouTube video of my old alter ego paused on it.

"The Vengeful One. A being created by you to take as much punishment as possible and return it tenfold." I stated, to which he nodded.

"Correct. If you can have matches like last week until the Rumble, then we're going to consider putting you in an Elimination Chamber match to determine the number one contender for the Universal Championship. If not, then you're still going to get the IC opportunity." As he left, I felt a soft hand on the small of my back. It belonged to Amanda, who was practically undressing me with her eyes. Licking her lips, as if she was a predator hunting her prey.

"A stud like you should have no problems having great matches" she purred.

"I'm not too worried about it." I replied, trying to avoid the uneasiness in my stomach. Her hand slowly encroached my ass. She grabbed it, causing me to jump in surprise and out of her reach..

"I know. However, I need to get ready for said match." I turned and walked away, leaving a sneering Amanda behind, as well as a confused Scot and hurt Ohioan, who witnessed the grab. That was the only pleasure Amanda took from the entire thing. Hurting Lexi.

* * *

_Adrenaline _blared through the arena, with the crowd reacting positively to it. My opponent was already in the ring and had been pacing for a few seconds. Curtis Axel had helped a lot of legends get back into ring shape, so his skills weren't anything to sneeze at. However, I was just a little bit better than him.

Once the bell rang, he charged at me, which I dodged. He allowed his momentum to carry him up the corner, turning and flying at me with a crossbody. It landed, and he quickly hopped to his feet to put the boots to me. As the ref pulled him off, I crawled onto all fours, inadvertently giving him the shot he wanted. A vicious punt to the ribs sent me back down and he let loose with rapid fire elbows. They landed on my back and chest, often alternating when I attempted to get some space.

They caused me to roll out to the thinly padded floor. Using the time to catch my breath and come up with a plan, I failed to notice him leave the ring. Thankfully, I managed to stumble out of the way of his latest move, causing him to stop himself by jamming his right leg on the steps. It left his left one open to a quick kick, sending the knee into the steel, while the sudden imbalance caused him to fall backwards. The ref had only gotten to four at that point.

I rolled him back in the ring before stomping down on his back. All so I could still have time to rest. As he got to a knee, a soft smirk grew on my face before lifting him for an inverted suplex. Once it landed, I rolled through with another one before locking in a dragon sleeper. It wasn't for very long, as I let him out after a few moments. He was clutching his neck and rolling around in pain. It wasn't long till he grabbed the ropes to help him up.

Once on his feet again, I rushed at him with a clothesline attempt, only for a drop kick to the knee send me throat first into the middle rope. He didn't wait to take advantage of it, slamming his thigh into the back of my neck. As soon as I landed on the mat, he began choking me. The ref administered the five count, forcing him off at four. It didn't stop him however, as he picked me up and hit two swinging neckbreakers.

Thankfully, he gave me some time to recover while he pandered to the crowd. When he tried to get back on the offensive, I rolled out of the way and hit him with a drop kick. He bounced off the mat, and I hit him with a clothesline. When it happened again, I hit him with a STO takedown. Once he got to his knees, I followed it up with a shining wizard and moonsault combination.

Reacting quickly, I lifted him up and hit the Pumphandle Flowsion before going for the cover. Before the ref could even begin to count, Bo Dallas came out to the ring and began laying the boots to me. The ref called for the bell and tried to get Dallas off of me. He wasn't successful, as Dallas hung me on the top rope before delivering a whiplash neckbreaker. Axel just smiled as he got to his feet, before telling Dallas to pick me up again. He did, and they hit me with a belly to back suplex and neckbreaker combo.

Mustafa Ali ran out to help me, but the damage had been done. The ref helped me to the back, while Ali stayed ringside for Shorty G's match against Wilder.

* * *

After getting to the back, I noticed Lexi and Nicola standing next to Joe and Claudio. She had changed out of her gear and into a pair of grey yoga pants, with a small blue shirt complimenting her eyes perfectly. Last week was her and Nicola's Ride Along filming, which meant I had to ride with Adeel and Charles. It was a lot of fun, but I came to realize just how important Lex was to me.

Ever since we met, we kept in touch. Granted, life had a nasty habit of trying to screw it up, but it didn't stop us. Then she pushed for me to move to Smackdown when she didn't have to. She could've remained quiet and nothing would've changed. We'd still be talking to each other. But more than that, she broke down the walls I had built after my last relationship. All with a smile.

I was absolutely head over heels in love with her.

"Go talk to her." Nic whispered, allowing me to return to reality. She had remained in the same place while Joe, Nicola, and Claudio had left. She turned to face me, allowing me to see the conflict in her eyes. A soft shake of the head was all I received.

"I need you to answer me honestly" she stated once I was close enough. "How do you feel about me?"

A soft beat of silence passed, before tears welled up in her eyes. In response, I just pulled her in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm not the best with words, so I'll try my best to explain. You've changed my life for the better. Every time I look in your eyes, I find myself swimming in pools of pure bliss, pardon the pun." She smirked, while I continued. "All I want to do is make you smile, cause that's the greatest reward I could _ever _get." I fought the dryness in my mouth and the thousands of horrible _what if _scenarios that ran their course through my mind.

"I love you." She buried her head into my chest, letting the tears cascade down her cheeks.

"I love you too. I'm sorry for not waiting till Houston, but after today, I was slightly scared."

"What do you mean?" Our eyes met, and I saw hurt creeping in.

"Amanda grabbed your ass earlier, and you didn't say anything about it. I thought you were going to _celebrate _with her."

"If I'm being completely honest, it would've meant more if it came from you." She blushed before pecking my cheek. We parted ways only to grab our bags and change. Vince said that the romantic storyline didn't need a segment this week due to the plans for next week. Lexi didn't mind it, but she made sure to use the time to improve. In all honesty, I was over the moon knowing that Lexi loves me, so I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the show.

When we got back to the hotel, Lexi made a beeline for the bathroom. I used the time to get changed into a pair of shorts, which felt weird on me. Normally the shorts would be for exercise or on nights where I'd have to get up early the following day.

"I guess we're both switching up our sleepwear." Lexi commented, garnering my attention. Turning around, my jaw hit the ground at the sight of her. She wore a baby blue tank top that stopped just above her navel while also hugging her curves. A pair of black short shorts, not booty shorts, but close. Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"I-I-I" she giggled at my reaction, placing a soft kiss to my cheek.

"No need to be tongue tied. "

"Easy for you to say. You don't have a perfect angel in front of you."

"I've got a handsome knight who wears shining armor." She kissed me again. "So I think we're pretty equal in luck. Now let's get some sleep."


End file.
